Grange Lane, NoctonCopyright Julian P Guffogg

Rev Dr Cecil Willis, J.P.

Born in about 1723, probably at Lincoln, fourth son of Rev John Willis and Genevra Darling. Baptised 7 September 1723 at St. Margaret in the Close, Lincoln. Died 22 October 1786, and buried at St. Margaret in the Close.

Educated at Merton College, Oxford; B.A. 1744, M.A. 1747, B.D. & D.D. 1759. J.P. for Holland, 1785. Ordained Deacon 21 December 1745 and Priest 20 September 1747. Held the following livings:

The Reverend Doctor seems to have made himself very unpopular with his parishioners, chiefly due to his insistence on collecting such tithes as he felt were due to him, and his introducing new ones when he felt he was not getting enough. In 1769 he introduced Agistment Tithes at Holbeach, which were the subject of Willis vs. Harvey in the Court of the Exchequer in Michaelmas Term of that year. He celebrated his victory in this case by publishing a pamphlet entitled 'The Matter of Agistment Tithe of Unprofitable Stock' (1776; 2nd edition 1778 as 'The Nature of...') so that his fellow clergy could all avail themselves as well. The copy in the Lincoln Record Office is anotated thus:

When the author of this pamphlet died his parishioners rang a peal for joy; but soon after the appointment of his successor they had cause to wish for their old Vicar, as the present one nearly doubled their tithes. LAO Holbeach All Saints PAR/4/1

Married at St. James, Louth, 20 April 1750 to Elizabeth Sheeles. She died 4 August 1773, aged 40.

Married secondly at St George, Bloomsbury, on 14 February 1777 to Mary Thistlethwayte. She was born Mary Strong in Kent in about 1731, and died 17 December 1819, and was already twice widowed when she married Willis. Her first husband was named Rolls, and she married secondly in 1763 at Great Chesterford in Essex to Alexander Thistlethwayte. He was born 1718 and died 15 October 1771, and was Whig M.P. for Hampshire 1751-1761.

Issue with his first wife, two daughters and four sons:

  1. Mary Willis. Baptised at St Mary Magdalene, Lincoln, 21 June 1751. Living unmarried at Portman Street, London in 1794.

  2. Harriett Willis. Born about 1752, and baptised at St Mary Magdalene, Lincoln, 20 October 1752. Died 23 July 1828 at Clifton, Bristol, and buried there; there is a monument in Lichfield Cathedral.

    Married at St. Martin, Lincoln, on 9 October 1775, to John Daniel of Devonshire Place, Middlesex, and Aldridge Lodge, Staffordshire. He was born 17 December 1733, and died 4 December 1809, and had first been married to Susanna Fenton (who died 10 November 1770).

  3. Cecil Willis. Baptised 29 September 1754 at St Mary Magdalene, Lincoln.

  4. Charles Wallet Willis of Erdington, Barrister at Law and Recorder of Walsall. Baptised at St Mary Magdalene, Lincoln, 26 November 1758, and died 25 May 1794. On 16 December 1776 he was articled for five years to William Strong, attorney, of Clements Inn, and then in 1780 he was transferred to John Berry for the residue of the period. Called to the bar 1784. Apparently a member of the Society for Constitutional Information (proposed 14 February 1782 by John Horne Tooke).

    Married by his brother Peregrine at St Peter and St Paul, Aston, Warwickshire, on 12 May 1794 to Susannah Windsor. She was baptised 12 January 1769 at Oswestry, daughter of Francis Windsor and Elizabeth his wife.

    She married again, at St Philip's, Birmingham, on 25 August 1808, to John Wheeley esq. of Worcester, and died 13 January 1854. Buried at Claines, Worcester, 19 January 1854, where there is a memorial tablet to her. She was his third wife, thirty-odd years younger than he was, and roughly the same age as his daughters.

    John Wheeley, esq. of Worcester, to Mrs. Willis, relict of C. W. Willis, esq. barrister at law. Oxford University and City Herald, Saturday 03 September 1808, p2

  5. Rev Peregrine Willis, of Nocton Grange, Lincolnshire. Baptised at St Margaret in the Close, Lincoln, 2 December 1760, and died 29 July 1813. Educated at Merton College, Oxford (matriculated 9 Jun 1779). Ordained deacon 21 September 1783, and priest 20 February 1785.

    • Curate of Nocton 22 September 1783

    • Chaplain to John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Bucks, 1786 - (apparently) 1813

    • Vicar of Dunston from about 1806, when he stops signing the register as 'Curate of Dunston' as he had since 1783, and starts signing it as 'Vicar of Dunston'. From 1808 he signs it as 'Sequestrator of Dunston'.

    • Vicar of Bardney 7 February 1786 - 1 May 1806

    • Vicar of Goxhill 2 July 1792 - 16 March 1808

    • Vicar of Woodford cum Membris 3 May 1803 - 1813

    • Rector of Welton le Wold 18 September 1807 - 1813

    Married at Waddingworth, Lincolnshire, on 24 May 1808 to Harriet Astey. She was born about 1781, and died 1 June 1822 at Tupholme, Lincolnshire [Stamford Mercury, 7 June 1822].

    DIED - On Thursday the 29th ult. at Nocton, near this city, the Rev. Peregrine Willis, Vicar of Dunston, and Rector of Welton. Stamford Mercury, 13 August 1813

    The late Rev. P. WILLIS' AFFAIRS. ALL persons to whom the Reverend PEREGRINE WILLIS, late of Nocton, in the county of Lincoln, deceased, stood indebted at the time of his death, are requested to send an account of their respective demands, and the nature of their securities, to Mr. BALDWIN, solicitor, Lincoln, in order to their being discharged.—And all persons who are indebted to the estate of the said Peregrine Willis, are hereby required to pay their respective debts to Mr. Baldwin forthwith. Lincoln , Nov. 2d, 1813. Stamford Mercury, 12 November 1813

  6. Cecil Willis. Baptised 28 May 1763 at St Margaret in the Close, Lincoln, and buried there 10 June 1763.